Equipment bag and skate/shoe tying stool combination

ABSTRACT

Hockey bag meets shoe-fitting stool. This invention is an equipment bag that converts to a stool with a ramped platform intended to aid an adult in the process of tying a child&#39;s skates. No assembly is required, the exterior bag material is built around the interior stool and ramped platform. The adult sitting on the stool facing the child can comfortably help put on and tie the child&#39;s skates. This device is intended to work for adults tying children&#39;s skates&#39; the way a shoe salesman aids in tying a customer&#39;s shoes. This is a one-unit device; all parts are contained in the skeleton of the bag.

The invention is an equipment-carrying bag with a shoe-fitting stool type device contained within the bag. This invention has two purposes: one, to carry sports equipment, and two, to aid an adult in the tying of a child's skates (or shoes). After the bag is emptied of equipment and flipped upside down the adult sits on the stool structure of the invention and the child sitting on a bench or chair opposite and facing the adult places his/her feet with untied skates or shoes on the ramped platform. The adult then ties the skates or shoes similar to how a shoe salesman uses a shoe-fitting stool when helping a costumer try on shoes. The philosophy behind this invention is to aid the adult in the process of tying a child's skates.

The stool-structure is composed of four equal sized legs with a solid plank on both the top and bottom (see FIG. 1 A.) A flat plank (which acts as the ramped platform where the child's feet rest) is sewn into the base of the bag. The stool and ramp are connected simply as a byproduct of being bottom of the bag. There is a stitched seam between the two that acts as a hinge. The stool structure is encased in its own pieces of bag fabric and the plank is encased in its own pieces. There are fabric flap extensions at the point where the two independent structures meet which will be sewn together and the seam will act as a hinge. This hinge provides the necessary angle for the platform that the child rests his/her feet on. The stool and plank units are encased completely within the bag. These are then sown to the interior of the bag and the design is complete and one unit. The bag opens and closes with a zipper along the top of the, like a typical hockey bag. The exterior of the bag has two shoulder/carrying straps and different versions of the bag would have wheels on the bottom and a handle bar extension for easier carrying.

DIAGRAM KEY

FIG. 1

-   -   A. An independent view of the stool structure     -   B. A view of the stool structure plus ramped platform         independent from the bag

FIG. 2

-   -   A. An exterior view of the bag with shoulder straps     -   B. An x-ray image to see the inner workings of the bag     -   C. The bag flipped upside down to show how the platform is         ramped and to portray the essence and function of the invention.

Note: Dashed lines resemble stitching. 

1. There is no equipment bag (or any carrying bag) in existence with an interior structural design containing a ramped platform and a stool-like seat.
 2. The intention of this invention is to make it easier for an individual to put on and tie a child's skates. There is no such bag in existence designed to aid in the process of applying sports equipment, particular to this case, ice/roller skates. 